Former drug dealers detail threats during Bulger's reign

By Laura Batchelor, CNN

Updated 9:13 AM ET, Sat July 13, 2013

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case23 photos

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case – James "Whitey" Bulger, the former head of Boston's Winter Hill Gang, evaded police for 16 years before his 2011 arrest with girlfriend Catherine Greig in Santa Monica, California. After a lengthy trial, Bulger, seen here in his booking photo from June 23, 2011, was found guilty on 31 of 32 counts -- including involvement in 11 murders. On November 14, 2013, Bulger was given two life sentences plus five years. Here's a look at some of the people tied to Bulger's life of crime:

Hide Caption

1 of 23

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case23 photos

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case – James "Whitey" Bulger, seen here in a 1984 FBI photo, spent nine years in federal prison before he climbed the ranks of the Winter Hill Gang -- the preeminent Irish-American crime syndicate in the Boston area -- in the early 1970s.

Hide Caption

2 of 23

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case23 photos

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case – According to prosecutors, Bulger's crew learned that a bookie named Richard Castucci was cooperating with the government, and John Martorano was sent to kill him. Castucci was shot in the head in December 1976 and stuffed in a sleeping bag in the back of his car.

Hide Caption

3 of 23

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case23 photos

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case – Steve "The Rifleman" Flemmi, left, and bookie Dick O'Brien in one of several surveillance photographs entered into evidence in the Bulger trial. Flemmi, Bulger's partner, would meet O'Brien to collect thousands of dollars in "rent" every month.

Hide Caption

4 of 23

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case23 photos

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case – Bulger is accused of murdering Flemmi's stepdaughter, Deborah Hussey, in 1985 because she became a liability.

Hide Caption

5 of 23

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case23 photos

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case – Flemmi met Debra Davis at a jewelry store, and the couple dated for more than seven years. In 1981, Bulger is said to have killed Davis because she knew that Flemmi was an informant.

Hide Caption

6 of 23

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case23 photos

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case – Dr. Ann Marie Mires, a Massachusetts state forensic anthropologist, was brought in to Bulger's trial show photos of his alleged victims, including Debra Davis. Because Davis' body was put into bags, almost all of her remains were recovered. Even some of her hair was preserved.

Hide Caption

7 of 23

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case23 photos

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case – Mug shots of Bulger in 1953, about a year after his honorable discharge from the U.S. Air Force.

Hide Caption

8 of 23

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case23 photos

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case – Bulger was the godfather to John Martorano's first son. Martorano has admitted to 20 killings as part of Boston's Winter Hill Gang and was the government's star witness against Bulger.

Hide Caption

9 of 23

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case23 photos

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case – In 2008, John Martorano, pictured here, testified against former FBI agent John Connolly, who was accused of leaking sensitive information about former gambling executive John Callahan. Martorano testified that he shot his friend Callahan on Bulger's orders in 1982.

Hide Caption

10 of 23

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case23 photos

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case – John Callahan was an organized crime associate of the Winter Hill Gang and former president of World Jai Alai. Prosecutors allege Bulger ordered a hit on Callahan after he learned he would be cooperating with the feds on the high-profile murder of an Oklahoma businessman, Roger Wheeler.

Hide Caption

11 of 23

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case23 photos

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case – Bulger is accused in the slaying of Wheeler, who was gunned down outside a country club in Oklahoma in 1981.

Hide Caption

12 of 23

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case23 photos

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case – Joe Notorangeli was gunned down by the Winter Hill gang in 1973, according to Martorano.

Hide Caption

13 of 23

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case23 photos

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case – John Connolly was convicted of second-degree murder in the slaying of Callahan and received a 40-year sentence in 2009. A Florida appeals court vacated that conviction in May 2014, citing a statute of limitations issue. Connolly remains incarcerated as prosecutors try to convince the appeals court to reverse its decision.

Hide Caption

14 of 23

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case23 photos

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case – Former FBI supervisor John Morris testified at Bulger's trial that he provided information to Bulger in exchange for money and gifts. Here, Morris testifies during the John Connolly murder trial in Miami in 2008.

Hide Caption

15 of 23

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case23 photos

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case – Bulger's girlfriend, Catherine Greig, was sentenced to eight years in federal prison in 2012 for identity fraud and helping the reputed mob boss avoid capture for 16 years.

Hide Caption

16 of 23

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case23 photos

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case – J.W. Carney, Bulger's defense attorney, arrives at the U.S. Federal Courthouse for the start of Bulger's trial in Boston on Wednesday, June 12, 2013.

Hide Caption

17 of 23

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case23 photos

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case – This undated surveillance photo released by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Boston shows Bulger, left, with his former right-hand man, Kevin Weeks. Weeks took the witness stand at Bulger's racketeering trial and described a double slaying, multiple extortions and drug dealing.

Hide Caption

18 of 23

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case23 photos

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case – Bulger and Kevin Weeks walk around Castle Island on Boston Harbor.

Hide Caption

19 of 23

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case23 photos

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case – Kevin Weeks leaves the courthouse in July 2013 after testifying in graphic detail about how Bulger killed Arthur "Bucky" Barrett, Joey McIntyre and Deborah Hussey.

Hide Caption

20 of 23

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case23 photos

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case – The remains of Thomas King, former member of the Winter Hill Gang, were found in late 2000 and included these driving gloves, a bulletproof vest, a navy suit, and a claddagh ring. Martorano, one of Bulger's hitmen, testified that he himself had shot King in the back of the head.

Hide Caption

21 of 23

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case23 photos

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case – Stephen Rakes, 59, was scheduled to be a witness for the prosecution before he was dropped from the list. His body was found July 17, 2013, in Lincoln, Massachusetts, west of Boston. Rakes' business associate has been charged with his murder. Authorities said Rakes' killing was unrelated to the Bulger case.

Hide Caption

22 of 23

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case23 photos

Who's who in the James 'Whitey' Bulger case – Trying to show a softer, lighter side of Bulger, his defense lawyers released numerous photos of their client during the 2013 trial. The tactic didn't work: Bulger will spend the rest of his life in prison.

Hide Caption

23 of 23

Story highlights

Former drug dealers, families of victims, forensic dentist take the stand Friday

James "Whitey" Bulger is charged in the deaths of 19 people over two decades

Former drug dealer says his brother was shot when he refused to pay "rent" to Bulger

Wife of slain man says after testimony: Bulger "is a coward"

An array of witnesses testified Friday in the 20th day of the federal trial of reputed Boston mob boss James "Whitey" Bulger: Former drug dealers, family members of alleged victims and a forensic dentist all took the stand.

Some of Friday's most interesting testimony came when former drug dealers detailed the scare tactics they said Bulger used, including extortion and shooting one of their brothers.

Bulger is charged in the deaths of 19 people during some two decades when prosecutors say he ran Boston's Irish mob. He also faces charges of extortion, racketeering and money laundering.

The rules of the street

Paul Moore testified about the rules of the street when he was dealing drugs in Boston the early 1980s. Zach Hafer, assistant U.S. attorney, asked Moore whose permission he needed to sell drugs in South Boston.

"Jimmy Bulger, Whitey," Moore replied.

To sell cocaine in South Boston, Moore said that and his partner, Billy Shea, had to pay "rent," a weekly or monthly fee to Bulger and his gang. Rent payments to Bulger's gang were between $3,000 and $5,000.

"Not until yesterday," answered Davis in reference to the pictures of her remains that were shown in court.

As Davis was getting off the stand, he held a photo of his sister toward Bulger, who would not look up. Davis later told reporters outside the courthouse, "I wanted recognition from him. He's been sitting with his head down."

Another relative of a victim, Patricia Donahue, spoke about the agonizing wait she endured to find out what had happened to her husband.

Donahue told the court that while she was preparing dinner, she heard a TV news announcement of a gangland slaying -- and then she saw a picture of her father-in-law's car, which she knew her husband had been driving.

"I called every single hospital in the Boston."

Michael Donahue, who was not affiliated with any gang, was giving his friend Brian Halloran a ride home from a bar that night.

After court, Patricia Donahue spoke about testifying in front of Bulger.

"He couldn't look at me. If he can kill people and not look victims in the face, he is a coward."

Forensic dentist identified two bodies

Jurors also heard testimony from forensic dentist, Dr. Kathleen Crowley. She was able to positively identify the remains of two alleged Bulger victims.

The specific details of the dental work that helped identify Arthur "Bucky" Barrett's remains included a root canal, Crowley explained. Earlier in the week, Bulger's long-time crime associate, Kevin Weeks, testified that he saw Bulger shoot Barrett in the back of his head after Barrett had tried to buy his way out of death.

Using the same forensic methods, Crowley was able to determine that a different set of the remains belong to John "Joey" McIntyre. Weeks alleged that Bulger killed McIntyre after McIntyre admitted to letting authorities capture drugs that Bulger's gang had intended to sell.

So far the prosecution has called 46 witnesses. The prosecution expects to call 20 more witnesses, including Flemmi, and believes it could wrap up in 10 days.